British GT – Spa-Francorchamps – Saturday Qualifying Report
Erdos’d
Shaun Balfe and Jamie Derbyshire were both in the media centre as the afternoon session began, because….”We thought we’d leave it to Tommy to set the grid time, and there’s no point all three of us going out in conditions like this.”

Not that conditions were actually too bad, because the thunderstorm that passed over the track and caused EuroBOSS qualifying to be abandoned after one lap had long since moved towards Germany, or Luxembourg, or somewhere altogether different – it wasn’t here anyway.

So it was wets for everyone, and just as this morning, the track dried, times came down and, because this was Qualifying, some were minded to go for the most suitable rubber.

So it was intermediates for Tommy Erdos, and a best lap of 2:37.673. In fact he wasn’t the quickest GT car: that honour belonged to ‘old mate’ Cor Euser, with a 2:32.163…but the big Marcos probably had 250+ more bhp than the Mosler. “It’s a pleasure to drive for this team,” summed up the Brazilian. “I’ve only done ten laps in the Mosler, but that was enough to set the pole.”

Martin Short was “a lap too late to go for intermediates, basically I ignored Joao’s advice,” so he ended up second quickest in (British) GT - but behind the Gillet Vertigo on the grid.

Then it was four of the five TVRs, in the order DeWalt, DeWalt, Peninsula and Eclipse – although the latter was actually slower than the Cup Class pole, set by the Tech 9 Porsche of the Cup Champions. Was it Matt Griffin we spotted sideways, very sideways, at Les Combes….all the way through Les Combes (see below)? Dan Eagling set the time in the #123 car, with Dennis Leech his usual charming self in charge. “Which of the three of us is Dunlop Star of Tomorrow,” asked John Hartshorne? Dan Eagling just beamed happily.

Rob Barff was looking forward to a wet session and was first out in #192: Michael Caine went out on intermediates, but hooked up a quick one at the end, but…he got baulked past the pits and that was two laps gone. Lee Caroline in the other car ventured into the gravel, losing Mike Jordan a chance to go for it on inters at the end.

So in GTO Championship terms, the contenders line up fist, second and sixth in class, and Shane Lynch is one driver still lacking time on this outstanding circuit. “I’ve only done about seven or eight laps, so I’m still coming to terms with it: I need more time, but I suppose I’ll get that tomorrow.” He described the Eclipse TVR as “looking a little sore.”

The Irishman wanted it “either wet or dry, not damp.” Martin Short’s plan is “to finish,” so it looks as though the pace setter will again be the Balfe Motorsport Mosler (as these three race for the title).

In other news, the CDL TVR lost its engine after one lap, so a spare was heading from the TVR truck in the direction of the CDL pit: Hyde, Evans and Hansen will start well back. Xero Competition didn’t set out to lap in a really quick time, preferring to save the Corvette for the race, but “It’s got very clean wheels,” reported new wheel cleaner and tea boy / gofer Paul Slinger (“Go for this, go for that”). The Point Preparation Porsche was in trouble with handling, as it had been last time out at Oulton Park. “We lapped at the same speed in the wet yesterday,” said a frustrated Franck Pelle.

Hector Lester was quick again in the Glenvarigill Ferrari, but was surprised to be second, feeling that he should have been quicker, while the Golf had its gear lever snap, Steve Wood reckoning that “we could have taken the fight to the Ferrari, if not the Porsche.”

The Morgan of Neil Cunningham, Aaron Scott and Adam Sharpe is suffering on the straights: Cunningham and Matt Griffin agreed that the track suits the 911 far more than the Aero 8.

“The Porsche is in its element round here, but to get a quick time you’ve got to drive the car right on the limit. This car and this circuit are a big test of car control.” Neil Cunningham was up to the challenge of slicks, but the team was less sure – so the #166 Aero 8 is third in class, but 11 seconds off the pace.

Some Belgian GT News
Jost Custers has been following the fortunes of the Belgians in this event.
We might have expected more Belgian teams and drivers but with the 24 hours of Zolder just one week behind us, most of them are somewhere on a Spanish beach. The most ‘Belgian’ entry is the Gillet Vertigo. The team is a Belcar regular and a 2003 Spa 24-hours finisher.

Tony Gillet is happy to be at this rebirth of the 1000 kilometres. “We even skipped the 24 hours of Zolder to be here. This first edition might be difficult, with only 11 prototypes and just three guest cars but I think we have to be confident. The first edition of the GT 24 hours in 2001 of Spa only saw 37 entrants but this year’s edition was a 110% success. We race our good old 3.6 litre engine again instead of the 3.0 l version during the Spa 24 hours. Of course, we gain some horsepower but we also know the engine better. We go for a top-10 finish…certainly if it rains.”

Renaud Kuppens, one of the drivers, is also very happy to race here this weekend: “I was very pleased with my second best time during the first qualifying, proving that our Belgian car has a good level of preparation. We know the car, the track and the tricky conditions so we have good hopes for tomorrow. I guess we could go for a good, strong finish, The SR2 cars are not much quicker in the rain and we’re able to match most of the British cars. But I’m impressed by the TVRs, those are really nice, and quick. “

Another Belcar regular is the young Dutchman Jos Menten. He drives and discovers the Marcos Mantara. The difference between the AD Porsche Biturbo and the Marcos is enormous. This LM600 has nothing to do with the Porsche. It’s as powerful but the chassis and the aerodynamics are so different… I really have to adapt. The qualifying will be done by Calum and Cor as I have to get myself used to the car.”

Steve van Bellingen normally drives the #72 BMW STW and had a seat in this race. But a broken Schnitzer engine last weekend and a break in at his Stand 21-shop made him cancel this race. Steve is now selling helmets and overalls in the paddock…but Armand Fumal drives the GNM Porsche. Sadly, that didn’t run this afternoon, after engine problems this morning. A plan to borrow a Tech 9 Cup engine didn’t work, so a Freiinger unit is next on the list.